Automatic toy crane



Nov. 20, 1928.

G. B. DOWNS AUTOMATIC TOY CRANE Filed April 23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ATfOR/VEK Nov; 20, 1928.

G. B. DOWNS AUTOMATIC TOY CRANE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed April 23, 1924 Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

1 UNITED STATES GARRETT B. DOWNS, OF MAUCI-I CHUNK, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC TOY CRANE.

Application filed April 23. 1924. Serial No. 709,59s.

This invention relates to an automaticall y operating toy crane or derrick.

It is aimed to provide a novel eleetrieally operable toy with a means to reverse the me tor to impart movement to the beam or boom similar to an actual boom, a weight or load, an electromagnet means to raiseand release the weight, and means to return the weight after release to initial position.

Another object is to provide the construction forming one embodiment as illustrated in accompanying drawings.

.Various additional objects and advantages will appear hereinafter from the description following taken in connection with said drawings.

In said drawings Fig. 1, is a View of the toy inside elevation with the beam or boom in an intermediate position,

Fig. 2, is a plan View with the boom in full lines in initial or lower position-and in dotted lines in raised position,

Fig. 3, is a side elevation of the electromagnet reverse, 7

Fig. 4, is a section on line 44 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a schematic View or diagram of the electrical parts, and

Fig. 6, is a detail showing the reversing contacts in the second or diiferent position from Fig. 5.

Like reference characters designate like or similar parts in the different views.

In reducing the invention'to practice, a base of suitable shape, size and material, usually wood, has a bearing block 11 of conducting metal secured thereto and insulated therefrom. A Vertical shaft 12 has a conical lower end .13, journalled in a conical recess of block 11 as shown and to the lower portion of the shaft which is designated 14 is of conductive metal. Shaft 12 has a trunnion 12 at its top journalled in one or more bearings or supports 1O on base 10. A contact arm 15 extends from end 13 and at the limits of rotation of shaft 12 is adapted to engage contacts 16 and 17, (see Fig. 4), fastened by screws 18 and 19 respectively to the base 10. Shaft 12 may swing or rotate to any extent desired depending on the distance between contacts 16 and 17 and for instance to the extent of 180 instead of 90 as shown.

Pivoted to a lug 20 on shaft 12 at 21 is a lifting boom or beam 22. An electro-magnet 23 is suspended from boom 22 by flexible means at 24 and is adapted to attract and lift ings 52 on plate 49. Arms a loadsuch as a ball 25 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to an elevated position over a flared receiver 26 of a return. chute 27 wheretne'ball is released by means to be later described. Said chute 27 is of tubular material having an inclined arm 28, coils 29 and a base portion 80. The latter portion is open ad- Jaeent its outer end and surrouneed by a retaining flange 31 for said ball. The ball thus travels from the top through the chute I to the bottom thereof in the position shown in Fig. 1. 6

Any suitable means may be employed for oscillating or rotating shaft 12 to the extent permitted by contacts 16 and 17 and simultaneously move the boom 22 in a vertical plane. For instance an electric motor 32 is mounted on base 10 having its main shaft 33 provided with a suitable gear wheel such as a worm 34 in mesh with a gear wheel 35 rigid on shaft 12. A drum or windlass 36 by. means of trunnions 37 is journalled in bearings 38 secured on base 10. Rigid with said drum 36 is a gear wheel 39 which meshes with a gear wheel or worm 4O rigid on shaft Fastened at one end to drum 36 is a flexible cable 41 which has its other end secured at 42 to beam 22. Said cable is trained over periphery-grooved pulleys as at 43 and 44,j ournalled respectively on a pin 45 extending from shaft 12 and on a pin 46 mounted by a bracket 47 on base 10. p

An electro-magnetic reversing mechanism 48 for the motor 32 is mounted by a plate 49 on base 10. A rocker 50 of insulation is journalled by means of trunnions 51 in bear- 53 extend from rocker 50 and by means of pin and elongated slot connections 54 and 55 are pivoted to movable cores or armatures 56 and 57 within the coils or windings 58 and 59 of electromagnets 60 and 61. Secured to rocker 50 and by the same insulated from each other are contacts 62 and 63 with which spring contacts 64, 65 and 66 coact and which are insulated from each other and mounted on and insulated from plate 49 by a block 67.

The electric circuit through the different parts is established by the following means. Feed wires 68 lead from a suitable source of electricity to wires 69 and 70, if desired through a transformer at 71 which is used when the current supplied as by a house lighting system is of high voltage since my toy will operate on low voltage. A switch 7 2 may Inn be provided in wires 69 and 70 with the parts in the position of Fig. 5, the current flows from the source through wire 69, a terminal 73 on hearing 11, shaft 12 at 14, contacts 15 and 16, a wire 74, and winding 58 to wire 7 0.

Thus magnet 60 is energized which attracts.

armature 56 rocking rocker 50 and energizing contacts 64 with contact 62 and contact 66 with contact 63. From wire 69, the current spreads by wire 7 5 to the field 76 of motor 32 and then by a wire. 77 to contacts 62' and 64 to a wire 78 to the armature 79 of the motor through a wire 80 to contacts Y66 and 63 and by a Wire 81 to'wire 70. As shaft 12 moves from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5 contact 15 engages contact 17 thus breaking the circuit through magnet 60 and establishing it through magnet 61 as a conductor 82 leads from contact 17 to the winding 59 and a conductor 83, from same to wire 70. Thus magnet 60 rocks element 50 and moves the various contacts into engagement as in Fig. 6 where contact 64 engages contact 63 and contact 66 engages contact 62 whereby the direc winding up cable 41 and is also turned by the rotation of shaft 12 to a position where ball 25 is over receiver 26 at which time contacts 15 and 17 engage to deenergize magnet 61 and energizing magnet 60. Thus the ball will be released into chute 27 and roll to the position of Fig. 1 and the shaft 12 and beam 22 will be rotated back to initial position, with the drum 36 giving out the cable 41 and beam 22 lowering of its own weight assisted by that of magnet 23.. It will thus be seen that the operation of the toy is continuous and automatic in raising the ball or load 25, in releasing it, and with the shaft12 and beam 22 simulati'ng the operation of corresponding parts i of a crane or derrick, and thus form an in .teresting and fascinating toy.

As merely one embodiment has been illustrated and described it is to be understood that changes in the details may be resorted to Within the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim as my invention 1. An automatic toy simulating a crane or the like having a turnable shaft, a lifting means thereon, means to actuate saidshaft and lifting means consisting of an electric motor and olectro-magnetic means to establish circuits through said motor for travel of current in reverse directions including a plu cuit with said magnets engage/able by the last contact.

3. A toy having a base, a shaft rising therefrom and journalled thereon, a load member, a lifting beam for said member having amagnet thereon to engage it, a return chute for said load member, a gear wheel on said shaft,

an electric motor having a shaft, a gear wheel on said second shaft in mesh with the first gear wheel, a drum driven from, the second shaft, a cable associated withsaid drum and i said lifting member, means to establishelectric circuits through Said magnetand said motor including spaced contacts on said base, a contact on said shaft engagcable with said contacts, and an electromagnetic reversing mechanism in circuit, with the motor operable through the coaction of said contacts. In testimony whereof I affix mysignat'ure.

GARRETT B. Downs. 

